Fiscus named to all-star team; will play in Denver's Pepsi Center

Senior Josh Fiscus of Peetz High School was selected by members of the Colorado media to play in the Denver Nuggets and Gold Crown Foundation sponsored high school all-star basketball game known as "The Show."

The Show will be played at the Pepsi Center in Denver on April 12, with the girls getting started at 1:30 p.m. and the boys to follow at 3. The Denver Nuggets will cap off the day with their game against the Utah Jazz at 7.

As part of the honor the all stars will each recieve a ticket near courtside to the Nuggets contest.

"I was pretty ecstatic when I first heard about it. It's a huge honor," said Fiscus. "I went to the game four or five years ago when my cousin, Justin Coughlin, was selected. It's a pretty amazing atmosphere to play in. I'm really looking forward to it."

The squads are broken into two teams of 10 players each. Fiscus will play on the White Team while 10 others will wear blue. The girls are also broken into White and Blue.

To fill out the teams the panel of media selected the best players from around the state with the stipulation that all the five classes be represented.

Fiscus is the only player selected from Class 1A.

"I have to say I feel with the Dad side first," said Josh's father and Peetz Head Basketball Coach Bill Fiscus. "It's one of the times I've been able to say as a Dad 'Wow,' and just be proud of my son for the honor he's received."

The Fiscus family, which includes his mother Dawn, first found out about Josh's selection about two weeks ago. Bill received a call from Peetz Activities Director Scott Sorensen and shortly thereafter a representative from the Pepsi Center called. They were instructed, however, to keep quiet about the news until the official announcement.

The formal unveiling of the honorees came in the form of a press conference held at the Pepsi Center on Monday.

"He was a little overwhelmed at first. He was pretty big eyed," said Bill Fiscus of his son's reaction to the press conference.

It's not likely the games will be a model of teamwork as the group will have just one practice together on April 1, at the Pepsi Center.

On April 9, the squads will gather again on the Nuggets home floor for a shoot around.

Though Fiscus is familiar with some of the players through AAU competition, the only one he knows well is Brady Baer of Akron High School. Baer and Fiscus have become friends through their time with AAU.

Unfortunately, Baer, who is just 30 points shy of becoming Colorado's all-time leading scorer, will be representing the Blue team.

"It's an all-star game so it's really first and foremost about fun and meeting the other players," said Bill Fiscus. "They'll all be sitting together for the Nuggets game and they'll all have a great time."

Though the players families are not issued Nuggets tickets, they are offered a large discount so that the players can enjoy the entire experience with their families. Josh estimates about 40 family members traveled for his cousin's experience in The Show. He expects another large Fiscus contingent to share his honor.

"This is an event you couldn't keep me away from," said Bill Fiscus. "This will be for the whole family. We're going to make a whole day of it."

Josh, a "huge" Nuggets fan, is mostly looking forward to soaking it all in and having some fun. He remembers from his previous experience with his cousin that Nuggets player Reggie Jackson played in The Show. He realizes he just might be playing alongside or against another future NBA star.

"I'm looking to have a lot of fun with it," Josh Fiscus said. "I'll be looking forward to making some friends and playing some baskeball together."

Fiscus, who at 5-9 says he is the shortest all-star by about six inches, led the Bulldogs in several categories this season. He was tops in scoring (19.9 ppg), assists (3.2 apg) and steals (2.8 spg).

The Show

Colorado's High School All-Star Game

Boys White

JOSH FISCUS PEETZ

Treyvon Andres Thomas Jefferson

Justin Bassey Colorado Academy

Zach Braxton Highlands Ranch

Dominique Collier Denver East

Ronnie Harrell Denver East

Jake Pemberton Mountain Vista

Broderick Robinson Grand Junction

Collin Smith Thompson Valley

Toby Van Ry Fort Collins

Coach: Pete Villecco, Holy Family

Boys Blue

Brady Baer Akron

Jonathan Barnes Ponderosa

Dylan Clark Sand Creek

Austin Conway Overland

De'Ron Davis Overland

Chase Foster Valor Christian

Ghassan Nehme Cheyenne Mountain

Jeremiah Page Rangeview

Alex Semadeni Fossil Ridge

Ibrahim Sylla Denver South

Coach: Matt Johannsen, Fossil Ridge